Jaded Perspective
by Skylark3
Summary: Lita & Nephrite. The bad guys from the Negaverse are dead, right? But events suggest they're coming back, more dangerous than ever. When a mysterious illness claims Mina, things only get worse.
1. Another Shade of Green

Oh god, this fanfic is so old. I wrote it long before I joined and it was my first ever fanfic. Actually, it's not even that bad – it's so old I forgot what happened and have just been reading through it again. So hopefully you guys will enjoy it! I just came across it now, in the back of my laptop's files somewhere. Frankly I'm amazed I still have it. Anyway, I thought I'd post it here for Sailor Moon fans to read:

----

Yeah, here's all that disclaimer stuff... I didn't create any of the characters from Bishojo Senshi Sailormoon and the credit goes fully to those companies involved in the various anime and manga series in both Japan and the US (Bandai, DiC, etc.). Not to mention Naoko Takeuchi, whose wonderful idea it was in the first place!

I'll be using the US names, not because they're better, but because they happen to be a personal favourite of mine. By the way, this is my first (and probably only) fanfic, so if it isn't up to scratch then I doubt I'll ever even attempt another. (_Note from present self: I proved myself wrong on this one!_) Started on 20th October, 1999.

Jaded Perspective  
Part One - Another Shade of Green  
By Skylark3  
Rated PG. I think.

----

Prologue

Far across the endless voids of fantasy, in the endless twilight of a barely known universe, a man stirred, on the verges of awakening as if from a deep sleep. His head rested on rich soil, a darkened brown, untainted from the sun's patronising rays. The grey, cloudless sky never gave any hint of change, yet the entire world shivered in the throes of destruction. Nothing grew upon the soil, though it was as soft and capable of nurturing life as it was possible to be. The only thing that lay between earth and sky was that one solitary obstruction, the only thing that cast a shadow on the even horizon which stretched infinitely in every direction.

The man's eyelids fluttered open, creating the gentlest of breezes, but spreading a slight chill throughout the universe. For a moment time stood frozen in place. Then the fragile balance was shattered, distorted into delicate shards of fragmented memories and blown away on that very same breeze.

Almost hesitantly, the man rose to his knees, brushing off dirt that had clung to his clothes. Looking down at himself, he noticed how unfamiliar the garments appeared. Certainly he did not recognise them.

_But I do not seem to recall anything_, he thought silently, mystified. _Perhaps I do not even know myself, who I am._

As if upon pure instinct, he looked above him at the uneventful sky. It sparkled with a fleeting, iridescent light, a glimmer that even he remembered had not been present a few seconds before. He raised his hand to that mystical rooftop of the universe, searching for an answer hidden in the stony grey skies. And as if from nowhere, a glistening

teardrop of water fell onto his upturned palm.

"Water..." he whispered softly, and as he stared in surprise at the tiny splash in the centre of his hand, it condensed and solidified into a crystalline gem, the clear colour of ice. The exquisite jewel was hardly as big as the nail on his smallest finger, yet it captured the pure essence of the liquid that had fallen upon his hand only a moment before.

Barely had this occurred, when the skies abruptly turned dark, and faded into blackness. For a reason unknown, the ground and himself were still perfectly in view, though the darkness of the skies was even more greatly disturbing than the twilight. _No stars._ He shivered, though the temperature was hardly cold. _Perhaps this is the equivalent to night, in this deserted place_, the man thought curiously. Yet almost immediately a bright flash of light blinded his eyes, making him perceive dazzling images and colours until his vision cleared. _Lightning!_ A distant rumble of warped sound reached his ears then, confirming his uncertain thought. He was amazed, for this strange universe had seemed so lifeless and uneventful, but in the space of a few seconds the world seemed to be on the edge of collapse.

The thunder still ringing in his ears, he gradually became aware of a soft crackling sound behind him, and the slightest sense of heat on his back. He turned, getting to his feet, to perceive an amber flame on the soil only a few feet from him, the product of the fascinating lightning strike. The man found it hard to comprehend exactly how it stayed alight, as there was nothing to fuel it. As it was, the flame was tiny, and rapidly dying into just a glowing ember.

"Fire!" he uttered in wonder, but even as he spoke, the miniscule spark erupted into a misty cloud of smoke. The swirling gas cleared in a matter of seconds, revealing a second gemstone, this one an amber colour, the blaze of fire visible within its transparent walls.

Picking it up, the man held it in his palm with the other jewel. Another bolt of lightning took him by surprise, for it struck his fist in which the two gemstones were clenched tightly. The noise of thunder once again filled his ears, but a thousand times greater than before - it was a sound that the man felt could tear a world to shreds, just like the crackling of the fire could melt a heart of stone, or the tinkling of ice could freeze a furious temper. Yet he did not feel afraid. In some elusive memory that lay hidden in the depths of his mind, he knew that this blinding electric charge could kill him, and still he felt no pain.

In a split second it was over, and he was left standing, though a little shakily, as he had been before. Yet he knew something had changed - the air was almost tingling with anticipation, almost like it had a life of its own. He looked down at his hand and slowly uncurled his fist. There, beside the two other jewels, was a third, glowing white like the lightning it contained.

The man regarded the crystals thoughtfully. It seemed obvious to him that each one had something to do with one of the four elements. Water, Fire, Air... Truly, it was more as if the crystals had captured ice, heat and electricity, but nevertheless, the resemblance was present. He laughed softly. "Why not?" Clearly this had not happened by accident.

Bending down, he scooped up some of the loose, rich soil into his other hand, and sifted it carefully through his fingers. _Earth. Why, it's all around me!_, he chuckled to himself.

He couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness the dark skies gave him. He found it impossible to remember any other place than this universe, but he knew there ought to be stars to shed a soft, silver glow on the land beneath. The stars... and the moon. Something briefly jolted his memories, but it vanished like a flash, lasting only for a moment.

Shaking off the feeling that he'd missed something vital, the man turned his attention back to the soil. From the small mound the fallen dirt had made after he'd filtered it through his fingers, a single green shoot was emerging. Life - the only beautiful thing in this whole empty world. He could have cried at the sight, but the tears became caught at his throat. Gently, he reached towards the growing plant and touched an emerging bud. It unfurled in a graceful dance, revealing the fourth gem, a vibrant green, shining with life and love.

He could barely bring himself to take it, but a sudden instinct arose within him like a long-forgotten memory. _The only beauty in this world, and I must destroy it._ Sadly, he plucked the jewel from the plant, which immediately withered and shrivelled into a dying black stem.

The man gazed at the four jewels now resting in his palm. Gleaming iridescent in the reflection of the shimmering pitch-black sky, they appeared to glow with a light of their own. But as he looked a second time, he realised with mild interest that they were indeed shining. Turquoise, scarlet, emerald and gold beams emanated from each glittering treasure, providing an unforgettable beacon radiating from his hand, seeming to light up the whole dull landscape that stretched eternally into the horizon. The gemstones began to rotate, giving off greater amounts of light and energy as they spun faster and faster. The man trembled, and shielded his eyes from the brilliant flashes that lit the universe.

A gradual rumbling began from the depths of the soil below him, all too noticeable in such a silent place as this desolate plain. Almost at the very same instant, the man noticed a quaking sensation beneath his feet, and the brightness he held began to fade. Judging it safe to regard the jewels without being blinded, he turned his attention back to his hand.

The gems had vanished! All that remained was a vague sparkle at his fingertips, then even that frail sign gradually dwindled to nothing. Yet the man could sense them still, faintly. He shook his head in wonder. _Absorbed into my blood? Surely impossible!_, he thought. But he could achieve no other explanation.

However, he discovered that there was no time to ponder the mystery, for intimidating columns and segments of stone were breaking free of the ground, and chasms opened from the earth as the quakes grew in velocity and strength. The man was almost thrown off his feet, but he just barely managed to keep a steady balance as the once serene landscape became a panic-inducing scene stolen from a nightmare. Shards of rock and showering dirt rained down towards him, heralding the broken fragments which burst from the ground and spewed skywards to the ebony heavens.

Agile though he was, the man was unable to avoid the relentless bombardment of these falling missiles and regain his balance at the same moment. Narrowly escaping a razor-sharp splinter the size of a dagger, he lost his footing as a crack formed in the earth precisely below him. With a desperate cry, he pitched over backwards into the formidable mouth of the cavernous fissure.

He seemed to be falling not into the fiery depths of the earth, but into the same starless darkness as the sky above the torn and disintegrating world above. Plummeting down into what appeared to be utter oblivion, he felt his few memories shift and fling away, even as he slipped silently into unconsciousness...

----

It was a warm and sunny morning in the city of Tokyo. Not a cloud in sight, the sunshine played over the rooftops and urban life. All was quite well...

"Hey, Ami!"

The blue-haired girl sitting on the park bench looked up from her book expectantly, in time to see her friend rushing up the cobbled path excitedly. "Oh hello, Serena!"

Serena, who was bright red in the face and panting a little, replied with a cheery wave. "Wait - just let me catch my breath for a moment." Her hair was blond, and pulled up into two long pigtails topped with sphere-like knots of hair. She sat down heavily next to her friend on the bench.

"Serena! Are you all right?" Ami looked concerned, putting down her book. "All the blood's rushing to your face."

She nodded firmly, making her unique hairstyle bounce up and down. "I'm fine. Sprinting just isn't my style, that's all."

Ami yawned softly. "Everything's been so quiet recently. Don't you think you ought to use the extra time to catch up on your school work, instead?" She received an incredulous look.

"Hello, Ami! It's the middle of the holidays!" Serena yelled, waving an arm in front of her face to emphasise the point. "I came all the way here to ask you if you'd like to go shopping!"

The blue-haired girl sighed. "Well, I suppose I could spare an hour or two."

"All right, then!" Serena exclaimed happily. "Now I've only got to find Mina and Lita! I bet they're already there!"

Ami suppressed a groan. She stood up and let Serena pull her by the wrist towards the mall.

----

"So, are you sure?" The girl who asked the question had blue eyes and long blond hair tied with a large pink ribbon.

"As sure as I'll ever be!" her companion replied cheerfully. "Just look at the day! There hasn't been such nice weather in weeks! You'll regret this, you know."

She shook her head. "I know, I never thought I'd actually turn down an opportunity to go shopping - but I've had this weird feeling all morning. You know, like something dreadfully important's about to happen. I'd better stay here, at home."

Her friend laughed. "You're beginning to sound like Rei. Well, if you change your mind, I'll be at the mall. Serena said there's a sale on today. See you, Mina!"

Mina waved half-heartedly, as her friend walked out the door. "See you, Lita." She turned to the white cat standing at her feet. "Artemis? Is it just me? Nobody else seems to have noticed anything out of the usual."

Artemis, who was licking his paws, looked up at her. The talking cat sighed. "Why don't you ask Rei? I'm busy."

"Some help _you _are!" Mina huffed in frustration, and stomped into her bedroom.

----

Rei tossed her long, black hair back as she tried in vain to concentrate on the dancing flames in front of her. Something had been bothering her all day, and she kept feeling too distracted to read the Sacred Fire with any success. When the telephone started to ring, she felt ready to explode.

"That's absolutely the last straw!" she screamed, furious. Looking around for something cheap to smash and finding nothing, she picked up the receiver and snapped, "Hello?"

The voice on the other end sounded familiar. "Rei? I hope I haven't got you at a bad time."

"Mina?" Rei was surprised, and momentarily forgot her bad mood. "I thought you were going shopping today!"

Mina groaned. "Oh, don't remind me. I'm kicking myself for not going - but I've been having this feeling that makes me want to stay around home. Like something's going to happen."

"Really? Me too!"

"Oh, great! That makes me feel a whole heap better - now I know I'm not coming down with a fever."

Rei smiled to herself. "Hey, I'll come round to your place, okay? I bet whatever it is will happen near your house, at least, if my hunch is right."

"Well... I suppose so."

"See you, then." She hung up.

----

Mina listened to the dial tone for a few seconds before replacing the receiver on its hook and sighing. About to die from boredom, she had nothing to occupy her time except to talk to Artemis - who was still cleaning himself. Ignoring the licking noises he was making, she gazed out of her bedroom window impatiently, waiting for Rei's arrival.

A few minutes later, Rei had not yet arrived, but something else caught her attention. It began simply as an occasional flicker in the blue sky, but it was exactly the kind of thing Mina was in the right mood to notice. As she stared, trying to figure out exactly what was happening, she witnessed a small, pitch-black opening appear right in front of her window, only a few metres away. As if that wasn't impossible enough, a man toppled out of it, falling with a _thud_ to the ground. The dark tunnel closed behind him. Jumping up from her seat at the window, she rushed to the front door, nearly tripping over Artemis, who'd also seen this development.

Throwing open the door, she ran over to the man, who lay sprawled over the concrete path that led to her doorstep. She didn't have to get too close to know that he was out cold. The man was tall, with wavy brown hair that reached just below his shoulders. He was wearing blue jeans and a stylish black leather jacket. All in all, he had to be one of the most gorgeous hunks Mina had ever seen. Practically swooning, she looked around to see if anyone else had seen this remarkable occurrence. The street was bare.

Artemis ran out the door behind her. "Mina! Get back! That man could be dangerous!"

She found it impossible to even consider. "Don't be ridiculous, Artemis. Like the old saying goes: With an enemy like this, who needs friends?"

The white cat sighed. "I believe that's: Friends like these, who needs enemies?"

"Oh? Uh... whatever." She giggled nervously. "Well, anyway, he couldn't possibly be dangerous. Just look at how cute he is!" She started drooling over him, in much the same way Serena often drooled over chocolate, totally oblivious to everything else.

She jumped a mile high when a finger prodded her in the back. "Ahem!"

"Ahh! Oh, it's you, Rei." Her eyes roved from her friend back to the mysterious and handsome stranger.

Rei pointed her finger at the unconscious man. "Let me see, Mina - you're in the way. I bet this guy's got something to do with whatever's going on." She shoved Mina aside and bent to look at the man's face... only to jump back in shock. "That's Nephrite!"

Mina shot her a confused look. "Who?"

Rei rolled her eyes. "Nephrite - Queen Beryl's second general! From the Negaverse, duh! We must have mentioned him enough times!"

She did vaguely remember the name from somewhere, but she'd certainly never met him before. "But -"

"But nothing!" Rei interrupted. "We've got to get him to a place where he can't harm anyone! And quickly, before he comes round! Though I could have sworn he died last time I saw him."

Mina was hardly listening. "You knew him? Talk of luck!" She couldn't stop staring at the man, despite Rei doing everything she could to distract her.

"Mina, this guy is one hell of a dangerous enemy. He's _not_ going to want to go out with you - more likely you'll end up dead."

Something finally registered. "Oh, don't be such a spoilsport. He might have changed his mind about being evil. Beryl's dead - he won't have anyone to work for."

Artemis interrupted. "Rei's right. If this man is Nephrite, it'd be best to get him somewhere where he won't be able to work his evil doings."

"No!" Mina shouted, earning herself strange looks. "Look, I just think we ought to give him a chance."

Rei was about to protest again, but a groan from the man lying on the ground was enough to make them all shut up. They watched silently as he slowly sat up and looked around at his surroundings, then at the two girls. "Could you tell me what's going on? I can't seem to remember anything."


	2. Light Disputes

Jaded Perspective

Part Two - Light Disputes

By Skylark3

Rated PG. I think.

----

"Could you tell me what's going on? I can't seem to remember anything." The brown-haired man sitting on the ground had fallen only minutes ago from some kind of mysterious dark hole onto Mina's front path.

Rei looked at him as if he were insane. "You can stop the act now, Nephrite. We're not stupid, you know."

The man groaned, and stood up shakily, almost towering over the two girls. "I'm sorry. I really don't remember anything. Is Nephrite my name, then?" His voice was deep and powerful.

"I told you so!" Mina hissed at Rei.

Ignoring her, Rei persisted. "Stop trying to fool us. We know who you are."

Cutting in, Mina intervened, taking the man's hand and leading him up the front steps to her house. "I believe you!" she cooed, "Why don't you come in and have something to eat? You must have hurt yourself from that fall!"

Her talking cat, Artemis, rushed to block her and meowed loudly.

"Oh, Nephrite - you don't mind me calling you that, do you? This is my cat, Artemis. Say hello, Artemis!"

The white cat looked at her as if she'd lost her marbles. _She's going into that pathetic mood of hers again_, he thought, and sighed. "Good morning." he said resignedly.

"Good morning, Artemis." Nephrite answered with perfect seriousness. "Nice to meet you."

Rei's mouth fell open, while Mina smiled triumphantly, and opened the door of her house to let the man in.

Rei, struggling to come to grips with the fact that someone could handle a talking cat so easily, finally managed to stammer, "You see? It proves my point - what normal person would talk to a cat?"

Mina took no notice, busily escorting the man into the living room. "So, would you like some cookies? Tea, perhaps? No - maybe you'd like to listen to some nice music! Ah, I know! I'll get everything! Just wait here!" She rushed off to prepare everything.

Nephrite looked at Rei, amused. "Is everyone here as strange as you two?" he asked.

"Just watch it!" she growled, still mistrustful.

"He obviously doesn't remember Serena, then." Artemis muttered to himself, but the man overheard.

"Serena? The name _does_ ring a bell, actually. I can't begin to think of where from, though."

----

Three friends stood at the mall, deep in conversation.

"So, let me get this straight. _Mina_ decided she wouldn't come shopping?" The blond shook her head in disbelief as she chewed her way through a cinnamon doughnut. "Do you think she's ill?"

The girl who replied had her hair pulled back into a high brown ponytail, tied with two green spheres. "I've already told you, Serena. She claimed to be getting bad vibes or something - you ought to know how accurate those feelings can be by now."

"But Lita, it's always Rei who goes in for all that psychic business!" Serena persisted. "Mina's not exactly the mystical type."

The third girl glanced at the other two, wincing slightly at the food stains around Serena's mouth. "True, but there could be a simple explanation. I'm sure from past experiences we've found that where there is a large concentration of energies, people are often affected in various ways."

Lita and Serena looked at each other, then at Ami, wondering where this was heading. "Yes?"

"Well," the blue-haired girl continued, "If there was a large deposit of concentrated energy more or less around Mina's vicinity, it's possible that this energy has been taking effect on her, therefore resulting in these vibes' she's been picking up."

Serena sighed. "You mean there's this big thing that's lurking around Mina's house?"

"Well, not exactly..."

"So come on!" she yelled, jumping and punching the air enthusiastically. "We can't miss this!" She paused only to pick up another three doughnuts from a nearby table, and raced off.

Lita looked apologetically at Ami, and set off after her, catching up in no time.

----

Rei eyed the man in distrust. He was exactly as she remembered, aside from minor details such as the clothes he was wearing. She sighed. _Yes, he's certainly the cause of the disturbance that's been around all morning_, she thought, unsure of what to believe. He seemed genuine enough - but Nephrite wasn't exactly the world's worst actor, either. Why was she placed under this great responsibility? For all she knew, this could be part of some immense conspiracy. If this ended in tragedy, it'd be because she hadn't done anything. _Why me? Why can't I just be totally clueless like Mina?_ It all came down to honesty - but of course there was no way to tell if the man was genuinely speaking the truth. So she'd simply have to keep a close eye on him until she had a chance to find out just what was really going on...

At that moment, Mina returned to the living room, bearing a large tray heaped with biscuits and sweets. She set the tray down delicately on a wooden coffee table, as if it were a priceless vase. Then she leaped up and beamed at the man, ruining the effect. "Oh, sit down! Make yourself at home!" she cried jubilantly, before bounding across the room to put a cassette in her tape recorder, violently shoving Rei aside as she did.

It was all Rei could do to control herself. "And it was such a nice day, too!" she moaned quietly, clenching her fists.

The doorbell rang. Relieved for the distraction, Rei hurried to answer it, Artemis strutting along at her side. "Hello?" she asked, opening it wide. Three familiar faces grinned back at her.

----

Lita beamed as Rei opened the door. She began to apologise, but was abruptly cut short.

"Rei?" Serena cried, "What are _you_ doing here? Where's that big invisible energy-sucker? I'm going to make sure it never sets foot here again!"

Rei stared at her, utterly bewildered, as well she might be. "What?"

Lita laughed nervously, embarrassed at her friend's behaviour. "Uh, she's just a little confused... Ami told us there _might_ be some concentrated energy' at Mina's place, and I guess Serena thought it was another evil guy."

Ami, who had arrived later than the other two, was still panting from the long run. "I only meant that there could be collective energies here - not that it was evil - or good, for that matter."

"Besides," Lita added. "Queen Beryl's history!"

Rei's eyes widened. "Actually, Serena could be right for once."

"What do you mean, _for once_?" Serena sulked, offended.

"You're not the centre of the universe, you know!" Rei flared up, sick of the day's annoyances.

Sniffing, Serena pouted. "I come pretty close, though."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really! Why else would I be Sailor M-"

Before the two could get into a full blown shouting match, Artemis interrupted. "It's true. Just a short while ago a man fell out of a portal in the air right about where you're standing right now."

"Really?" Ami inquired, interested. "That would explain my theory."

Lita nodded. "So what happened?"

"It was Nephrite!" Rei declared, rejoining the conversation.

"You're joking!" Serena exclaimed. "He died in Molly's arms, remember?"

Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Rei replied, "I know that, Meatball Head! But I'm almost certain it's him. Come in, and I'll show you what I mean."

"Nephrite was one of Beryl's generals, wasn't he?" Lita asked, not entirely certain if she remembered correctly. "By the way, where's Mina?"

"She's in the living room, having a nice friendly chat... with Nephrite. You'll understand, once you see the way she's acting." She let them into the house, and led everyone through to the living room, where they beheld quite a strange sight.

Mina was leaning forward, her elbows resting on her knees, and firing question after question at Nephrite, most of which didn't have much to do with him. A look of total admiration was plastered like glue over her face. "So! What do you think of my biscuits? Aren't they just yum?"

The man was politely trying to appear interested, and almost succeeded, but the boredom was evident in the manner in which he constantly shifted position every five seconds. Due to the position of the couches, only his back was visible to the girls that just entered. "I must admit, these are delicious! Did you make them yourself?"

Drooling, Mina smiled. "Why, um, yes! I always make cookies - but as I don't have a boyfriend, there's no one to eat them. Which reminds me -" Even from the back, the man's wince at the not-so-subtle hint was evident.

Catching sight of the plate of biscuits, Lita ran forward and cried out, protesting. "Mina, you didn't make those! Those are the cookies I brought over for you this morning!"

"Oh, ah... Aheehee, ur... well, I guess I could have been mistaken..." Mina stuttered, turning a bright pink. "If you'll just excuse me..." She glared at Lita, who looked after her as she walked out of the room.

Rei, Ami and Serena all crowded round the front of the couch to peer at the man, who seemed a little disconcerted to have so many people staring at him.

"That's him, all right!" Serena announced, after she'd shoved her face practically two inches away from his. "I never forget a face."

"Want to bet?" Rei challenged, raising an eyebrow. Serena shut up.

Ami nodded. "He certainly looks like Nephrite..." She reached into a pocket and pulled out a small object, which she flipped open, revealing a tiny computer. Punching in a few keys, she looked from the screen to Nephrite, and back to the screen again. Satisfied, she gave a small nod. "Well, it seems that the analytical data stored in this apparatus is equivalent to that of the logical symmetry -"

"Could we have that in English?" Serena complained, chewing her fingernails in anticipation.

"...in other words, this man _is_ Nephrite." she finished simply, closing the computer and returning it quietly to her pocket.

There was an unbroken silence for a few seconds, as they realised the implications of this. But then it was broken by the wistful voice coming from behind them.

"He looks just like my old boyfriend..." Lita whispered, smiling in Nephrite's direction. Her body was frozen in space, and she had a dreamy expression in her eyes.

Rei smacked her forehead. "Not her as well!"

----

Nephrite cringed as the blond girl leaned up close to him once again. She wasn't exactly ugly or threatening, but he wasn't too happy about the crumbs of food around her mouth that threatened to drop off at any moment. Even as he watched, she drew back, took a rather squashed doughnut out of her pocket and started to eat.

It was no use. He just couldn't take it anymore. All the vexation of not knowing who he was or where he came from, or anything to do with his life at all... Not to mention constantly being under examination by a group of unusual schoolgirls... it all added up to utter stress. _If only I could remember some little detail..._ he thought, depressed. But it was no use. His memories had vanished, like a dead flower that was once a beautiful blossom.

He leaped up off the couch, nearly accidentally knocking all three girls back. "I'm sorry." he apologised, bowing. "But I must go. I need to find some place where I can find out about my life."

"Whoa, not so fast!" The raven-haired girl held out a delicate hand to stop him.

"You're not going anywhere!" the blond added.

"At least, not until we can determine whether or not you're speaking the truth." the blue-haired girl explained.

He sighed. "Listen, I don't know who you lot are any more than I know who I am. I'm sorry, but I have to go." He pushed past the three girls, who stared after him.

The blond gaped. "You really _don't_ remember me?" she cried. "I'm Serena - you know, Sailor M-"

She was cut off by the other two. "Ah, I'm Rei, she's Ami." the black-haired girl cut in hurriedly. "The one who interrogated you was Mina. And Lita's the one who's been rather quiet."

Nephrite nodded. "I'm pleased to meet you, then. But now I really must go." He turned to leave, despite the protests, and was abruptly brought up short, as another girl was standing right in his path.

_She must be Lita_, he realised. He recalled that she'd actually come in with Ami and Serena, but all the others had kept him too occupied to really notice her. Yet now that he did...

----

Mina had been listening to the whole thing behind the living-room door. Her cheeks were still burning red with embarrassment. _How_ dare_ Lita make such a fool of me!_ she thought, still mortified. She'd felt she was really beginning to get somewhere with Nephrite. She'd seen the way he'd tried not to look bored, but in her love-clouded vision it was a sign that they were meant to be together. _I don't care if he's evil!_ she decided. _I know I love him. And if I could spend just a little more time with him..._ In her mind, it was only natural that someone who'd lost their entire memory wouldn't

realise when the girl of their dreams was standing before them, but she was determined to go on a date with Nephrite at the very least. She leaned against the door with an adoring sigh.

Just at that moment, she overheard' her dream man talking about leaving. _No!_ She was horrorstruck. There was no way she was going to lose him to the vast streets of Tokyo. It took a few moments to sink in. Forgetting her embarrassment, she turned and flung the door wide.

"You can't leave!"

----

Lita gazed lovingly at the tall man who almost dwarfed even her, tall as she was. She'd never met or even seen him before, and yet she felt as if she knew him from somewhere. If someone had asked her, she wouldn't have been able to explain the familiarity. But all that was at the very back of her mind right now. She had eyes only for Nephrite. It wasn't only that he was extremely good-looking, but there was something else about him that deeply attracted her. Almost as if destiny had brought them to meet. She knew without a doubt that this was something more than just another crush. Nephrite appeared a little surprised upon noticing her, but it seemed to Lita that something fell suddenly in place. She looked into his piercing eyes, and saw her own face reflected in their depths. A brief silence reigned while the others looked on uncertainly.

His gaze not wavering, Nephrite took her hands and held them firm. "Lita?" he whispered softly. She smiled, and nodded.

But the enchantment was broken as a voice yelled out from the next room. "You can't leave!"

Mina, propelled by a sense of urgency, sped out from behind the door and barrelled into them, elbowing Lita to one side. "Nephrite, don't leave! You'll have nowhere to go, and you won't know your way around Tokyo! Stay here - I'm sure my family won't mind one bit!" It was obviously an exaggeration, but she was desperate to have him stay.

"Mina, it would be too much trouble for you. Why don't you stay at my apartment for a while, Nephrite?" Lita offered. "I live alone, so it wouldn't be a hassle at all."

Nephrite looked at the two girls. "Well..."

"No, Lita! I mean, I _know_ you're making a kind offer, but it really would be best if he stays here with me." Mina argued.

Lita couldn't believe it. What had gotten into her friend to make her behave so strangely? "But Mina, it just doesn't make sense! Why go to all this trouble just to -"

"You don't deserve to have him stay with you!" Mina shouted furiously. "That's why! Don't think I didn't notice you going completely soppy over him! You're trying to steal him away from me, aren't you?" Tears were streaming from her eyes. All of a sudden, she put one hand up to her head and groaned. "Now you've given me a headache! Get out of my house, and don't come back!"

Shocked to say the least, Lita tried to help. "Is there anything I can do..."

"Get out!" Mina screamed, pointing to the front door, and shaking uncontrollably with anger.

Stunned, Lita walked to the door and looked back. "Are you sure about this?"

"Out!" she repeated. When Lita had left, she abruptly keeled over in a dead faint.

Ami, Rei and Serena at once crowded round her body to help. It was only Artemis, who had watched the entire thing, that noticed Nephrite slip out the door after Lita.

----

_Right! That does it!_ Lita decided. _She's gone way over the top this time._ She was walking away from Mina's house, heading up the pathway. She had no idea where to go, as long as it was far away from Mina. The wind began to pick up, ruffling her hair slightly.

"What right does she have to scream at me like that?" she grumbled angrily. "Boy, I wish I knew why she's acting so strangely."

"Maybe I can answer that." Nephrite was jogging up the path behind her, and slowed to a walk beside her when he caught up.

She sighed, keeping her pace. "I don't see what good it will do. Once Mina gets something stuck in her head, it will take a lot to change her mind." She fought to keep her eyes down at the path. If she even once looked up at him, she knew she wouldn't be able to tear her eyes away.

Nephrite laughed. "I'd noticed. But listen, Lita. I don't really know you, but I feel I can trust you." He walked into her path, forcing her to stop, and placed a hand on her shoulder gently. "I lied when I told Rei and Mina I remembered nothing. There is actually something I _do _recall."

Lita grit her teeth. The temptation to look once more into those blue-violet eyes was amazing, but she resisted it determinedly. "What's that?"

"You." the tall man replied softly. "Your face. It seems that it was etched into my memory like nothing else." He sighed. "That's why I need your help. Perhaps you can help me remember everything that happened."

This time, she couldn't stop herself. She simply had to look up. "But I've never seen you before, until today of course!" she announced, confused. _His face could melt a heart of stone,_ she thought wistfully, peering into his deep eyes as if they held some dark secret. Not that they were particularly dark at the current time, for his eyes were lit with a fierce determination.

"Are you sure?" he persisted, now equally bewildered. "Not only is my one memory of you, it's also extremely clear."

She nodded. "I'm certain."

Nephrite reluctantly let his hand drop to his side, the spark in his eyes dimming. He looked so forlorn, so lost, so utterly dejected, that for a fleeting moment Lita thought she could almost feel his sorrow as if it were her own.

"Look, if I bothered you, I'm sorry." Nephrite bowed, turned and jogged off down the path in the direction she'd been heading, then broke into a fast run.

"No, wait!" she called after him, but the heartless wind smothered her words, carrying the sound in the wrong direction. Unaware that tears were beginning to form in her eyes, she ran after him. She had no idea why she felt so guilty - especially towards someone she'd never met and who supposedly was once an evil general. But some instinct deep within her was screaming for him to come back. She hadn't run far by the time she realised he was too quick to catch up with. Coming to a gradual halt, she despairingly clenched her fists. _Why do I feel so awful?_ she mused, the wind buffeting her relentlessly.

----

Back in Mina's house, Ami laid a cool, wet cloth on Mina's forehead. At the touch of moisture, the blond's eyes fluttered open.

"Oh... My head hurts!" she groaned, sitting up slowly. She felt like her head had been clobbered with a rubber mallet more than just once. The world seemed tipped sideways and more than a little blurry.

"Are you okay, Mina?" asked two Serenas. "What got into you?"

"Wow, you sure gave Lita a hard time!" Rei added suspiciously.

Blinking, her vision cleared somewhat, and the two Serenas merged into one rather worried person. "I... I really don't know what came over me, guys!" Mina admitted tearfully. "I can't believe I said those things!"

Ami took away the cloth, redipped it in ice-cold water, and replaced it on Mina's forehead. "You ought to get some rest, Mina." she remarked, concerned. "You don't look well."

"Perhaps I should." Mina agreed, taking her pounding head into consideration. "And then I'll ring Lita to apologise."

Supported by Ami, she shakily stood up and the two girls headed in the direction of Mina's bedroom.

"What happened?" Rei asked Ami when she returned.

The girl blushed. "I'm afraid I don't know." she answered. "It could have been the effects of the accumulated energy around here, or simple jealousy. Perhaps neither."

Serena looked down at the floor. "Poor Lita. It must have been horrible to have a friend treat her like dirt." She suddenly burst into tears. "What if Darien decides he doesn't like me? What if whatever Mina had was contagious? What if -"

"Serena!" Neither Rei or Ami were about to put up with her outbursts now.

"Mina needs some time to relax." Ami explained, trying to calm her down.

"But -"

Two girls groaned, while a third continued to bawl her eyes out.

----

That night, Lita found it impossible to sleep. Her thoughts were constantly filled with visions of Nephrite. Tossing and turning in her bed, she tried to rid herself of the torment. Eventually she could stand it no longer.

"What _is_ it with me?" she cried aloud, despairingly. "Surely I can't be this worried about some guy who I hardly even know!" Yet it certainly seemed to be the case. After a few more minutes of trying in vain to catch some priceless sleep, she clambered off the bed, sighing. It was simply no use trying to deny to herself that she was absolutely infatuated with Nephrite. If this was going to happen every night from now on, her life would be a living torture. Realising that it would be a hopeless task to attempt once more to get some sleep, she decided to take a quick walk outside to steady her nerves.

She changed quickly from her pastel-pink nightgown into a dark green sweater and brown jeans, not bothering to tie her hair. Fiddling with the keys to the door of her apartment, she unlocked the door and stepped out onto a narrow corridor which became a flight of stairs several feet to the left.

It was the stairs she headed for. Bounding down the steps four at a time, she rapidly descended several flights to stand before the entrance to the main building.

Upon stepping outside, she changed her plans. Back in her apartment she'd been a little uneasy about walking around alone at this time of night, and had intended to stay out only for a short while. Now, she felt more confident. She headed off in the direction of the park, her head already feeling clearer, the moonlight illuminating the streets in silvery light.

A good half-hour later, she stepped onto the soft and prickly grass, triumphant. Nobody had leapt out of the shadows to molest her – though she could have beaten them easily - and she'd arrived safely. She was about to turn around to head back and complete her exercise, when a growing sense of urgency propelled her to traverse deeper into the park.

Lita interpreted the urgency as curiosity, and at the last moment changed her mind. _Well, why _shouldn't_ I go for a stroll in the park? I've come this far, it won't hurt._

The park looked totally different by night. Shadows not present in daylight stretched and elongated and became clearer with every step forward. The whole area was bathed in an opalescent silver glow, which should have seemed quite eerie. Lita, however, thought it incredibly beautiful.

As she strolled along, she suddenly perceived a figure standing apart from the trees, looking up at the night sky. All her suspicions and defences kicked into action. _Who would be out at this time?_ she wondered, her eyes narrowing apprehensively.

Stepping backwards involuntarily, her foot came down hard on a brittle twig, fallen from one of the great trees. The sound of the snapping wood alerted the silhouetted, solitary figure, who immediately turned and looked at her.

With no time to run, and unable to hide, all she could do was watch as the figure took one step forward... and vanished.

For a moment she stood quite still, taking it in. But then a hand on her shoulder made her scream instinctively and elbow the attacker in the stomach, while whirling round to stare into the assulter's face.

The first thing she noticed was the set of unmistakable violet-sapphire eyes. Oddly enough, though the light of the moon and stars blanketed everything in shades of silver and grey, the colour was still faintly visible.

"N - Nephrite?" she exclaimed, astonished.

The man nodded, wincing as he rubbed the side of his stomach where she'd struck out in panic. "I wasn't expecting such a violent greeting!" he joked, but it fell a bit flat.

Lita instantly regretted having acted so hastily. "I'm sorry," she apologised. "What are you doing here at this time?"

At this, Nephrite grinned. "A number of reasons. Firstly, Mina was right when she said I wouldn't know where to go. I've been here since we last talked. And there's no way I would've been able to sleep anyway. I've been thinking about you all night."

Lita once again found it impossible to tear her gaze away. "Me too. I mean, I was thinking about _you_, not myself!"

Nephrite nodded. _This has to be something other than a coincidence_, he noted thoughtfully, staring back at her. "Lita, there's something I'd like to show you." He took her hands gently in his.

She smiled. "And what might that be?" She was intrigued at how secure she now felt, compared to the nervous wreck she'd just been.

So she wasn't prepared when the world contorted around her.

----

Far away from the park in a warm and cozy bed, a figure lay in peaceful slumber, her chest rising and falling with every relaxed breath. Now and then she unconsciously shifted position, only to fall once more into the regular pattern of sleep. All seemed normal, and she was the very picture of tranquillity.

Yet somewhere in the midst of her undisturbed rest, something began to take a hold of the girl's sleeping form. The once steady breathing turned into gasps for air, and she started to toss and turn violently, almost appearing as if taken by a fit. For all the apparent struggle she was in, she was yet asleep. The girl's body writhed and rolled, and her face held a look of agony as she thrashed in the sheets. It didn't last long, however, for soon the torment began to ease, and all became still and quiet once more.

As the chilling night breeze rustled the curtains through the open window, a radiant golden light began to emanate from where the girl lay.

Still fast asleep, Mina's unseeing eyes snapped wide open.

----

As the blackness of the night opened up to swallow her, Lita cried out in alarm. "No! Help!" Her cries seemed to be muffled by the vast expanse of nothing as it surrounded her, penetrating into her bones.

But as rapidly as it had come, the darkness faded away, leaving her standing once more under the silvery, vaporous light that shone down like a beacon from the night sky.

She turned to Nephrite, who had never let go of her hands. "What in the entire universe was _that?_" she gasped out, recovering from the shock.

He looked a bit confused. "What was what?"

She stared at him unbelievingly. "Don't tell me you didn't notice that sudden darkness? It just came out of nowhere!"

Understanding dawned in his eyes, and he burst out laughing. "Oh, Lita - why didn't you tell me you had a phobia of teleportation?"

"What?" Lita was stunned, only then realising they were in a different part of the park compared to where they'd previously been. "You can teleport?"

Nephrite nodded, his eyes narrowing curiously. "Of course! Why? You make it sound like some kind of crime..."

Lita suddenly understood. _Zoicite and Malachite could teleport... it only makes sense that Nephrite could!_ She laughed. "Not only have you lost your memory, you also have no idea of our society!" she giggled. "I hope you didn't teleport in public view! You'd have scared people half to death!" Seeing that he was still looking mixed-up, she continued. "You have to know that _nobody_ in Tokyo can teleport - except you, of course!"

At this truthful statement, Nephrite looked completely dazed. "I had no idea!" he exclaimed. "I thought everyone could..." he looked to the side, uncertainly. "Just who _am_ I?" he demanded to no one in particular.

It was once again obvious to Lita that he was deeply frustrated, to say the least. Feeling guilty, she struggled for the right words to say. "So... what were you going to show me?" she asked finally, attempting to break the tense silence.

He sighed, looking depressed as ever, and waved a hand carelessly in the direction of the sky. "Only the stars."

With an effort, Lita tore her eyes away from his to stare up at where his hand had feebly indicated. The stars were indeed beautiful that night. Like it had been during the day, the sky was perfectly clear, and nothing obstructed the view, save a few trees. Yet they were standing in the centre of a large clearing, so even the leafy branches barely blocked the scene.

She gazed up at the tiny pinpricks of incandescence, each silver point appearing identical to the next, scattered randomly across the midnight backdrop. She'd seen the same stars many times before, but tonight they seemed different, somehow.

"I never realised how fascinating they are." She was honest - she felt that she could stare up at the spectacular view for hours and never tire of it, but for the crick in the neck it gave her.

Nodding, Nephrite seemed to nearly forget his troubles. "They're wonderful, aren't they?" he murmured quietly. "Almost as if they're trying to say something..." he laughed then, at his own words. "I must sound ridiculous!"

"No," Lita disagreed. "I can see what you mean - it's like they're trying to send a message to everyone. I can't believe I never noticed before!" _Or_, she reflected, _Maybe it's just that Nephrite's here beside me and everything seems so much nicer than usual._

She looked down from the sky to Nephrite's face, only to discover he was already staring at her, oddly. For the tiniest fraction of a second their eyes met and something unseen passed between them, before Nephrite doubled over, clutching his head and letting out a yell loud enough to wake the entire city of Tokyo. He collapsed to his knees, tears of pain trickling down his cheeks.

"Ahhhh!" he roared, obviously in pure agony, tearing at the long strands of hair that fell around his face.

"Nephrite!" Lita cried, feeling helpless against this invisible threat. "What is it? Where does it hurt?" She knelt down and attempted to comfort him, but he shook his head and pushed her weakly away.

"Don't! It's... nothing." His words sounded forced and faint. "Something... this is... not good. Lita... don't help me... there's nothing you can do."

She couldn't stand to see anyone in pain. _There has to be_ something _I can do!_ she thought desperately, but how could she fight something without even knowing what it was?

Fortunately, whatever it was stopped after a minute, and Nephrite was left kneeling miserably on the soft grass, drenched in sweat.

"What happened?" Lita asked nervously, brushing hair off his face gently.

He shook his head, as if to clear the memory of what just happened. "I'm not entirely sure... it felt like something was attacking me on the inside." He sighed. "Whatever it was, it was evil, I'm sure of that."

Lita shuddered involuntarily. If Nephrite had once been evil, to what extent was this unknown force that affected him so badly? Like he'd said, whatever it was, it wasn't going to be good.

"You'd better come back to my apartment with me. You need rest."


	3. An Apparent Evil

Jaded Perspective

Part Three - An Apparent Evil

By Skylark3

Rated PG. I think.

As the sun rose over Tokyo, so did the fears of several young people. Over the previous twenty-four hours, several disturbing events had occurred, all of which were centred around the same man. As if to herald the coming of an unfortunate future, dark clouds gathered rapidly across the sky as the morning progressed. Such a sudden change from what yesterday had appeared to be - the perfect day. But then, appearances can often be deceiving...

----

As the clouds gathered ominously in the sky, Ami looked up uneasily from her text book filled with mathematical equations. _Something just doesn't seem right_, she thought. Marking and placing her book on top of a high stack of others, she crossed to the window of her room to peer out at the overcast city. All seemed normal enough, yet she'd read enough about the formation and evaporation of water vapour to know that clouds this gloomy couldn't happen in under half an hour. Unless something was terribly wrong.

_Could this have something to do with Nephrite?_ she wondered. It was certainly curious that things were starting to go wrong right after he'd arrived in Tokyo. She tried not to think of the possibility that he might be a catalyst to tip things in the wrong direction, might be out for a second attempt at working his evil doings.

But her kind personality won through, not letting her see what might be a darker side to the bewildered man she'd encountered the previous day. She smiled to herself, shaking her head of short blue hair.

"Serena was right for once. It's the holidays! I've been working just a little too hard..."

----

The delicious smell of hot soup wafted through Lita's apartment, filling every corner and crevice. Eventually it even reached the nose of the exhausted man asleep on the couch. His eyelids fluttered open at the mouth-watering scent, and he turned his head to the side, wincing at the aching burning in his skull. _It hurts somehow more than I thought it would_, he thought, somewhat surprised. Though there wasn't a mark on his skin, he felt as if he'd been through a hard battle. He was lying underneath a warm blanket, still in his clothes from the day before. They were giving off the faint stench of sweat and perspiration.

Swinging his legs over the edge of the sofa, Nephrite got to his feet, only to nearly collapse as soon as he did. He made an irritated growl. Even with his lousy memory, he knew that being weak and helpless was not something he was used to. Sighing, he sat back on the couch once more, feeling hopelessly defeated by something as small as a few aches and pains.

Suddenly, the door that separated the living room from the kitchen was opened wide by a smiling Lita. She was carrying a steaming bowl of vegetable soup. "How are you?" she asked, offering him the soup, a concerned expression on her face.

He tried to hide how unsteady he was. "I'm fine... It's just a few aches here and there, nothing much at all..." Even as the words left his mouth, he realised how false they sounded. He took the bowl and started to eat.

Lita evidently saw through it, too. "Oh, no. You look like you're about to lose consciousness any second!" she remarked, watching him feed himself. "You'd better stay here for a few more days."

He nodded politely in thanks, looking at Lita while he ate. There was something about her that he couldn't quite place... Her face was so familiar, like he'd been through this a million times in the past, but she denied having ever seen him before. It was a few seconds before he realised he was staring at her. Snapping out of it, he quickly looked aside and finished the soup hurriedly.

"Thank you, Lita." he said, handing her the empty bowl. "It was the best soup I've ever had - at least, that I can remember."

Taking the bowl, Lita seemed a little disappointed for a brief moment, then she smiled, making him wonder if it were just his imagination. "Any time. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now, you should get some more rest." She left the room then, closing the door quietly behind her.

----

Several hours later, Mina also woke to a throbbing headache. _I feel terrible!_ she thought, blinking her bleary eyes. If it was possible, she felt worse than she had the day before. Dragging herself from her bed, she stood up shakily. The world moved in every direction, making her feel dizzy and disoriented. Somehow, she managed to change into a fresh set of clothes, all the while knowing she should really be in bed asleep.

"Why aren't I feeling better?" she murmured to herself. "It's almost unnatural, the way I'm feeling!" She resisted the strong urge to empty her stomach onto the carpet, and spent the next few minutes trying her very best to make a sudden recovery.

When the doorbell rang, she stumbled her way through the house to the front door, fumbling with the safety catch.

"Mina? It's me, Ami!" a voice said from the other side. "I've come to see if you're feeling better."

Glad for a friend to keep her company when she was in this awful state, Mina opened the door slowly. "Ami? Come in!"

Taking one look at Mina, Ami gasped. "What happened? You look like you've come down with something really bad!"

At this, Mina couldn't hold back her misery any longer, and started to sob uncontrollably. "I - I don't know, Ami!" she cried. "I feel much worse than before... I don't know what's wrong with me!"

Ami placed a hand on her shoulder. "It looks like you should get back to sleep, Mina. Maybe whatever it is will pass soon enough. If it doesn't, I'm sure we can find out the cause."

"_No!_" Mina snapped sharply. "I can't go back to sleep! It was sleeping that made this sickness worse in the first place!"

"But I really think you should..."

Mina sighed. "Trust me on this one, Ami. I _know_ this isn't any regular illness. I can't explain it, but it feels like I'm losing control of everything! And I can't stop it!" She sniffed, attempting to cease the flow of tears that ran down her cheek.

For once, Ami could do nothing except watch Mina's confidence deteriorate before her eyes.

----

Lita walked down the street towards the shops, intending to buy some extra food, as she now had a guest in her apartment. As she kept a steady pace, she couldn't keep the previous day's events from her mind, especially the row between her and Mina.

_Hmm... Mina's house isn't too far from here - perhaps I should go and see her, apologise for making her so angry yesterday._ She decided to go and see if she could make amends.

Diverting from her first route, Lita crossed the street and headed in the new direction of Mina's house. As she walked she tried to think of the right things to say. _Mina, hi! How are you? I've come to apologise... No, that's not right. What if she thinks I'm mocking her? I don't want to lose a friend over a little quarrel!_ It was hopeless. No matter what she came up with, she was worried that Mina would turn her away again. She'd lost so many people in the past, her friends were the most important people in her life now. _I'm just too paranoid_.

"Oh, this is hopeless!" she cried out in annoyance, stamping her foot down hard on the pavement.

"What is?" a voice asked curiously from behind her.

Turning to face the speaker, Lita beheld Nephrite. She had no way of telling how long he'd been following her. He was wearing different - and cleaner - clothes than the ones she'd left him in - _probably another weird Negaversian power_ – but they were no less stylish. She was temporarily rendered speechless before she managed to gasp out, "Ah... Nephrite! I thought you were asleep! Aren't you supposed to be getting rest?"

The tall man shrugged. "I slept for a while, but just a moment ago I woke up feeling completely well. Your soup must have been a miracle cure! I thought I'd look for you to thank you... Still, I wasn't expecting to end up out here. Not that I mind that much..."

Lita sighed. "Oh, well... I'm glad you're feeling better. You might as well come with me to Mina's house. Perhaps she'll be too busy being nice to you to be angry with me!"

Nephrite looked concerned. "Is _that_ what you were so angry about? Your friend rejecting you again?" He laughed. "Anyone would have to be crazy to dislike you! You're the nicest person I know!"

Lita smiled. "Thank you. You're not too bad yourself!" Once again, she found herself being drawn in by those indigo-violet eyes. The spark she'd noticed the day before had returned, a fierce determination. She supposed that determination was to find out about his life – probably nothing else mattered more to him. _So why, then, do I want that spark to be centred on me?_

----

Ami tried to console a still-weeping Mina.

"Mina - I know you can pull through this. If you want, I can take your blood sample and run some tests to find out just what is going on."

She shook her head of blond hair. "Oh, no! Please, not needles!" She sobbed loudly, almost rivalling Serena's trademark wail.

Ami tried again. "Well, alternatively this could have been brought on by strong emotional trauma... Do you think it could have been jealousy of Lita and Nephrite -"

At the mention of his name, Mina's face suddenly want rigid and blank. When she spoke, her voice sounded strained and harsh. "Nephrite! That loser is mine!" She scowled viciously. "He won't get away with this!" She stood straight and tall, seemingly losing all signs of weakness. "Ami, I'm feeling much better now. I think I'll go out for a walk."

Shocked and confused, Ami stared at her, alert sirens going off in her brain. _That's_ got _to be more than plain jealousy_, she thought to herself. _For once I just can't understand what's happening!_ "Mina? You really shouldn't leave the house. You're very sick - just wait until I can ring the hospital..."

"No!" Her voice thundered through the house, authoritive and definite. To Ami's horror, she raised a hand from which poured forth dark energy, crackling and flashing into an uncontrollable whirlpool.

"Mina, no! It's the Negaverse! Fight it!"

"Stupid girl!" Mina retorted. "I will not have you stand in my way! Get lost!" She released the swirling energy straight towards the protesting girl.

"Ahhh!" Ami screamed in pain and terror as the blow pushed her back forcefully into the wall of the house. She sank to her knees, whimpering. "Mina... you have to fight this thing... don't let it take you over!"

"Hah! Nothing's wrong with me, Ami! As a matter of fact, I'm feeling better than I've ever felt in my life! Now, I must be going!" Without another word, she raised a hand to the ceiling, clenched her fist and vanished without a trace.

Ami lowered her head and let out a pent-up breath. "Oh, Mina... don't give up, whatever you do..." she whispered softly to the empty room.

A knock on the door was enough to make her wearily rise. She leaned on the wall as she painstakingly made her way to the front of the house. Wincing at the pain she felt, she somehow managed to open the door, only to fall in a heap on the ground immediately after.

Lita rushed in, closely followed by Nephrite. "Oh, no! Ami! What happened?"

Shaking her head, Ami gave a shaky sigh. "It's Mina. The Negaverse has returned, and something's taken over her." She tried unsuccessfully to stand up, only to drop back onto the cold floor.

Lita bent down and gently helped the blue-haired girl into a standing position. "I'd better get you home. Nephrite, would you mind going back to my apartment to wait for me there? I might be a few hours."

Realising this was not the time to ask questions, he nodded, and silently vanished from sight, leaving a vague sparkling of tiny stars in his wake. Ami stared after him at the rapidly fading glimmer.

"Lita, we really need to discuss this."

She nodded seriously. "I know. But first, I'd better call the others."

----

Serena groaned, and swatted at the air, missing a small black cat by inches. "Luna, I'm too sleepy - just ten more minutes, okay?" She rolled over on her bed, pulling the covers tighter around her.

"It's nearly midday!" the talking cat replied. "Don't you think it's about time you got up?"

"Hmm, just let me sleep for a little longer..." Serena was cut off, as a sharp beeping noise sounded from the middle of the undescribable mess littering the floor of her room. "Oh... what could that be?"

"Try getting out of bed to find out!" Luna suggested dryly.

Grumpily sitting up, Serena slid her feet over the edge of the bed. "This is blackmail, or something very close to it!" In her white pyjamas covered in cute multicoloured crescent moons, she picked her way along an almost invisible path through the clutter. The piercing noise was coming from a small, round object lying half-buried under a pile of comics that depicted the adventures of Sailor-V. "My communicator!" she cried, picking it up and flipping it open to see who was calling. "Hi, Rei!"

Indeed, a miniaturised picture of Rei's face was visible on the tiny screen inside the communicator. "Gee, Serena! You look even more of a wreck than usual! What happened, did I wake you up yet again?"

Turning red, she glared at Rei. "No, as a matter of fact, I've been awake for hours! I was just about to go out, for your information!"

"Oh, really? In your pyjamas? I can imagine what people would say when they saw you in the streets dressed like that!" Before Serena could argue, she continued. "Anyway, we're having a Scout meeting at Ami's house - so _don't_ go back to sleep!" There was a _click_, as the screen went abruptly black.

"But I was awake!" Serena retorted furiously to the blank screen.

As the cat on her bed was heard to sigh, Serena whirled round and complained. "Oh, don't you start! After all, it's all _your_ fault! You should have woken me earlier!"

Luna groaned.

----

"So, what's your verdict, Ami?" asked a curious Rei. She looked up from her seated position on the floor. She, Ami and Lita were all at Ami's house, Lita having taken Ami home after the incident with Mina.

Ami began her explanation. "I'm not completely sure about this, but my theory is that Nephrite is the cause of all this trouble."

Lita leapt to her feet. "No way! He'd never do anything like that!"

"How can you be so sure?" Rei pointed out. "I mean, Mina didn't exactly make a good impression on him yesterday!"

Ami nodded. "Rei's right, Lita. Plus, you can't deny that everything strange started from his appearance." She started to tick off on her fingers. "Firstly, Nephrite used to be evil. How do we know he isn't faking his memory loss? Secondly, he doesn't seem to be surprised at all by everything that's been happening. Thirdly, it's quite possible that he used Mina's jealousy against her to turn her evil."

"And how would he do that?" Lita asked sceptically.

"Post hypnotic suggestion," came the answer. "That's when an idea or obsession is planted into someone's subconscious mind, and -"

"Okay, Ami, you can spare us the details later." Rei said decidedly. "Right now, we have to work out how to get Mina back to normal."

"Hey, now wait a minute!" Lita exclaimed. "I _know_ Nephrite didn't do anything to Mina. He was really being genuine about not remembering anything."

"That might be the case," Ami agreed. "But it's still possible that he's doing this unconsciously. Perhaps he just doesn't realise that he's afflicting poor Mina with Nega energy."

Rei groaned. "Oh, great! This just puts things in even more of a mix-up!"

"Hello!" came a cheery voice from the other side of the room. "Serena here, to save the day once again! The door was open, so I thought I'd come straight in!"

"You're late!" Rei immediately accused her. "What was it this time? A quick stop at the shops on the way? Or something else?"

"For your information," Serena began haughtily, "_I_ had nothing to do with it!"

A tall, black-haired figure stepped forward into the room behind her. "Sorry about that... I got pestered by a certain Meatball Head for a ride here... it took me a while to get ready."

"Darien!" Ami exclaimed. "You're becoming as bad as Serena is!"

"That's because she's such a bad influence." Rei explained, matter-of-factly.

Serena appeared to be furious. "Uuuooh! Rei! You're so mean!" She proceeded to burst into tears. "Why do you always have to be so horrible?"

"Aren't we getting a little off the track here?" Lita cut in, rather coldly. "We're supposed to be discussing _important_ things!"

Everyone turned to look at her. "Gee, Lita! What's up with you today?" Rei asked curiously.

"Did I miss something?" Serena added. Ami quickly filled the two newcomers in with all the details of the day's events.

"Whoa, hang on here!" Darien held up his hands as if to sheild himself from the onslaught of information. "Are you saying that one of Queen Beryl's generals has come back from the dead?"

"Yes!" Serena announced triumphantly. "He's really here!"

"Have either of you seen him in the last half-hour?" Ami asked. "He might be causing more havoc even as we speak!"

"And he's got his rotten hands on Mina?" Serena asked. "But I thought he'd forgotten everything!"

Ami nodded. "We don't know for sure, but it's probable that he's just out to make trouble." She sighed. "It's a pity... I thought he was telling the truth, myself!"

"We have to stop him, before he destroys the lives of other people!" Darien declared, clenching his fist in determination.

Lita folded her arms and looked away. "You can all think what you like." she muttered, just loud enough for the others to hear. "I know he didn't do anything to hurt anyone!" She turned, and stubbornly headed for the door.

"But... Lita! Where are you going?" Serena called after her.

"Back home!" was the reply. She slammed the door on the way out.

There was a brief silence as everyone wondered the same thing. "Lita really likes that guy, doesn't she?" Ami voiced unnecessarily.

Rei sighed. "...And then there were three."

----

In a terrible mood, Lita stormed down the street. _It's about time someone decided to show a little loyalty around here!_ she thought angrily. It just annoyed her to see her friends immediately jump to conclusions about Nephrite simply because he had a bad reputation in the past. Or... maybe a little more than just a reputation, but that was beside the point. She knew he was innocent this time - but it made her so furious to see other people accusing him of a crime he had nothing to do with. Oh sure, there was a vague possibility that she might be wrong, but she was determined to try and prove he had no part in this particular incident with Mina. If that meant deserting her friends, then so be it. Yet even as she thought it through, a guilty feeling kept nagging at her. _Why do I feel so strongly about Nephrite? Why don't I just accept that he could be still evil?_ She shook her head, momentarily confused, then abruptly decided to forget about it for a while. She'd made up her mind, and that would do for now.

As she furiously turned a corner, she came to an abrupt halt, staring. A few metres away stood Nephrite, who was arguing with another man. Lita watched curiously as they quarrelled, their backs to her. Eventually though, the other man stepped back and shook his head, before walking away in the direction Lita had been heading. She hurriedly made her way over to Nephrite. "I thought you'd gone back to my apartment!" she remarked, making him jump and whirl to face her.

"Oh... Lita! Don't creep up on me like that!" he objected. Lita bit back the comment that was on the tip of her tongue, but he noticed anyway. "What is it?"

"Nothing much," she muttered, her cheeks turning red. "I was just thinking how suspicious you looked, like you were up to something."

At this, he burst out laughing. "Why, have your friends finally convinced you that I'm the cause of all this trouble?"

She felt her cheeks burn even harder in response to how close he really was. Then, a loose end caught her attention. "Hang on - how did you know that my friends think it's you?"

Nephrite waved it off, smiling. "It's obvious. The way they all look at me... it's what most people would think in a situation like this, anyway. I'm surprised you don't think the same, actually."

Lita felt that her face was by now red enough to substitute for a traffic light. "Ah, well..." she trailed off uncertainly.

Realising how uncomfortable she was becoming, Nephrite quickly changed the subject. "Well, to put an end to your worries, I _did_ return to the apartment. But then I decided that there's no way I'll ever find out who I am if I just sit around doing nothing. I went out again to see if I could find something out..." Here, his face lit up suddenly, as if only just realising something. "...and I did. Lita..." he placed a hand on her shoulder and stared at her intently. "Lita, that man who I met - he knows me! At least, I think he does. He seems to think I'm someone called Maxfield Stanton, which is partly the reason why we were arguing. Do you know what he's talking about?"

Lita, who had really been lost in her own thoughts, heard the last two sentences and shook her head. "Um... sorry. I've never heard of anyone called Maxfield. What else did he say?"

"He asked where I'd been for the last few months. When I told him of my amnesia, he laughed and said the taxes on my house would have been piling up lately. So... either he's lying, or I have somewhere to live!"

Despite herself, Lita felt a pang of disappointment. _Does this mean he won't be staying at my apartment, then?_ But she smiled, if a little sadly. "Well, what are you waiting for, then? We've got to find this house of yours!"


	4. A Turn for the Worse

Jaded Perspective

Part Four - A Turn For The Worse

By Skylark3

Rating: PG-13. I think.

----

Three girls walked down the street, side by side. Two were discussing the weather intently, while the blonde-haired one was concentrating more on the slice of cake she was eating.

"I couldn't agree more!" the girl with the long black hair was saying, "It's so unnatural!"

"Not only that," the blue-haired girl continued, "But those clouds should have brought rain hours ago. See how dark they are? That's because the water vapour has condensed and solidified in extreme amounts. I shouldn't be surprised if there's a solid block of ice in the centre of some of those clouds, by now!"

At this, the blonde looked at the other two girls. "Um. What are you talking about, Ami?"

"Serena, you're hopeless!" the girl with the dark hair snapped. "Don't you ever listen during science classes?" She paused, and corrected herself. "Actually, do you _ever_ listen to anything anyone says?"

"Of course I do!" Serena pouted, immediately defending herself. "I think the question ought to be whether _you_ will ever stop being so mean!"

"I wouldn't have to be, if you weren't so annoying all the time!"

Serena's cheeks were growing steadily redder. "Uuoh, Rei! That's not true!" The two girls stopped walking and continued to bicker childishly.

Ami walked on ahead, hardly aware that she wasn't being followed, as her mind was taken up with more important matters. Now it was only the three of them, not including the elusive Darien, left to fight an unknown evil. First Mina had been taken, then Lita had left... she sighed. _Whatever this is, it's tearing us all apart, slowly but surely._ Shaking her head sorrowfully, she looked over her shoulder and called to the two girls. "I'm going to the library - I'll see you later." She continued down the street, as the clouds grew ever darker and more numerous, and hoped that everything would turn out for the best.

----

Two figures stood alone underneath the vast canopy of trees that made up the wood near Tokyo. The taller one supported the other as she swayed unsteadily. A twilight aura seemed to surround the area as patches of light filtered through the rustling leaves above.

"Unngggh!" Lita clutched at the empty air as she attempted to regain her balance. "Taking the bullet train would have been so much simpler!" She looked up at the sky wistfully. _I'll never get used to this._

Her companion smiled, and looked down at her thoughtfully. "I suppose teleportation would take some getting used to. Sorry about that!" He still couldn't understand why Lita's face was so firmly etched into his memory. She seemed so familiar to him... and yet, as far as he knew, they'd never met until the day before. To call it deja-vu was an understatement. That soft reddish-brown hair, those sparkling emerald-green eyes - everything about her seemed perfect. And he couldn't help feeling as if he'd always known her.

Lita sighed, having by now managed to steady her flailing arms. "No, forget it, Nephrite. At least we're here now." She couldn't help noticing that the sky here was just as dark as in the centre of Tokyo. _Boy, this sure is one mother of a storm brewing up!_ She didn't mind the rain, or storms, but for some reason the idea of this one made her uneasy. Dismissing it as paranoia, she put forth a question to hide her concerns. "Are you sure this is the right place?"

Nephrite nodded. "I'm starting to recall a little... I'm sure this is the place," he lied. In actual fact, he wasn't sure at all. All he had was a vague recollection of some large mansion. Yet the area around here seemed almost familiar, and it surely wouldn't hurt just to take a look. _Yes_, he thought. _There's certainly something about this place, even if I don't know what!_

Taking a look around, Lita began to relax, letting out a pent-up breath. She peered cautiously through the many pine trees, trying to make out a trail or pathway. "Where should we start?" she inquired eventually, realising that nothing was to be seen. "I don't see how we should know where to begin looking!"

Her tall companion shrugged. "I suppose we'll just have to choose a direction and hope for the best."

"...In typical Serena style!" Lita muttered under her breath, then smiled despite herself.

----

Meanwhile, Rei was having trouble trying to reason with Serena. "Listen to me, will you?" The raven-haired girl tried to interrupt the blonde's constant complaining as they continued to walk down the lonely street. The dark clouds above had blackened and grown to such an extent that it appeared to be nearing twilight. Those few people who had considered leaving their houses in this weather were currently nowhere to be seen. "I thought we'd agreed to stop arguing until we got this sorted out!"

Her friend wiped her eyes, sulking. "I thought _you'd_ agreed not to say horrible things to me!"

Rei was all ready to argue back, when she realised this was exactly what she'd been trying to avoid. "Oh... whatever. What really matters is that we've got to find a way to rescue Mina! And we won't get very far if we continue on bickering like we are now!"

Serena sniffed miserably, and blinked a couple of times. "You're right. I guess I forgot what the important things really were. But how are we going to return Mina to her senses with only the three of us, Rei?" She paused, waiting for an answer. "Rei?" Looking back, Serena became aware that the dark-haired girl had stopped walking, and was waiting behind her. She hurried back and waved a hand in front of her companion's face. "Hello, Rei? Are you listening to a word I'm saying?"

Rei absentmindedly waved her off. "Wait... I can sense something!" She frowned, her brow creasing in concentration. "It's... evil. I don't know what exactly, but it's definitely evil."

"Oh, no! What is that supposed to mean?" Serena inquired anxiously. "Is it Mina? Is it the Negaverse? Do you think we ought to transform?"

Nodding, Rei started to fish around in the small bag she had slung over one shoulder. Taking out a small and slender pen-like object, she regarded it a moment and sighed. "I'd thought all this was well and truly over. Come on, we'd better find someplace safe."

The two girls hurried off in the direction they'd originally been heading.

----

Lita was beginning to lose her temper. "We've been walking around in these gloomy woods for more than an hour, and we've found nothing! It's cold, it's dark, and those little insects crawling about my feet are starting to bug me. Nephrite, I'm sorry, but I think this is all just a wild goose-chase." She felt guilty as soon as she'd said it. _I'm not usually so easily upset. It must be the weather._

But her companion had hardly noticed. "No... look! Over there!" He pointed though the dense leaves.

Squinting, she could just make out a large, dark shape that vaguely resembled a house. "Well... it's _something_, at least! Come on!" With renewed interest, she pushed on through the trees.

As they cleared the last of the leaves, Lita couldn't shake the feeling that something was badly out of place. Before her stood a dark mansion with huge windows, and a spotless, shining red Ferrari was parked just outside, untouched by months of dust and rain. Yet none of this was what made her uneasy. For a moment she couldn't quite grasp what it was, until she suddenly realised it was simply the overwhelming presence of evil that emanated from the house. _I'm no psychic, so if I can sense this, it must be truly formidable!_

Beside her, the ex-Negaversian general sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "This is certainly it," he declared hesitantly. "This place is too familiar to be otherwise. But... I don't know... there's something wrong about this place."

Lita nodded silently, then jumped as a soft voice laughed out from the mansion.

"Well, you've got _that_ right!"

Stepping out of the darkness, a small figure detached itself from the shadowy doorway. "I've been waiting for you, you know." it said. "It's too bad you're unable to remember, Nephrite. Especially since I have to destroy you!"

"Mina!" Lita exclaimed in shock.

The blonde girl took a few steps forward and smiled serenely. "Wrong!" She patted her head. "Oh, she's in there somewhere, but the poor little girl was just too weak to stand against the likes of me. Now, which of you will be first?"

Lita grimaced. She would have liked to show this person just what she thought, but if there was even a possibility that Mina would be hurt, it would all be for nothing. So instead, she growled, "If you're not Mina, then who are you?"

The girl laughed. "Come now. Don't act so surprised! Surely you knew I could never be truly vanquished? My name is Beryl, not that you'll live long enough to hear it again, Sailor Jupiter!"

Shocked and suddenly furious, Lita darted forward in a rush of rage. "Nephrite, get away from here!" She waited till he made himself scarce, then without further hesitation aimed a forceful punch at the blond. Her swinging fist laced through the air to connect with the girl's cheek-bone. The impact was enough to send the blonde stumbling back a few paces and fall to the pine-needled ground.

Still trembling with anger, Lita stood her ground with fists clenched, waiting for her opponent to rise. Time seemed to pass at an incredibly slow pace, as she stood alert and ready for danger. After a few moments, however, it dawned on her that maybe, just perhaps, this wasn't a trick. Cautiously, she took a step towards the figure hunched on the ground. "... Mina?" _Oh, no! What have I done?_

The humbled girl's shoulders began to shake, and soft sobbing noises could be heard, as Mina turned a tear-streaked face towards her friend. "I'm so sorry, Lita!" she choked out between sobs. Her face, smeared with dirt, blood and salty water, held an expression of utter sincerity. Lita found herself casting aside all doubts that this was really her friend. She felt horrified at what she'd just done, and promptly said so.

Mina shakily shook her head. "No. I genuinely needed that. I can't properly explain it, but Beryl really was controlling everything I did." Almost on the verge on bursting into tears once again, she continued. "It was horrible! Lita, don't think it was me that said those awful things!"

Lita sighed, and bent down to help her. "I'd never think that! I can understand jealousy, but there's no doubt that it wasn't you speaking just then!" She felt a little awkward - what could she say to Mina in this odd situation? A brief silence reigned as both the girls were at a loss for words.

Yet just as suddenly, the silence was broken. At that moment, Mina gripped Lita's wrist fiercely, and tried to push her away from the clearing. "You've got to get away from here! Beryl isn't gone completely - that punch only startled her a little."

Shaking her head firmly, Lita replied, "Not on your life! We might not have been the best of friends lately, but I'm not going to let an out-dated Nega-creep take you over again! Besides," she added rather sheepishly, "I told Nephrite to leave, and he's our only route out of this maze of trees."

"No, you don't understand." Mina grumbled. "I can feel her lurking around in the bottom of my mind somewhere. She's going to return any moment now, and there's nothing I can do to stop her!"

For a fleeting moment, Lita considered her options. It would be so easy to just walk away, to satisfy the tiny part of her heart that was still hurt and vengeful from the previous day's argument. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to just turn her back on a friend, even if there was a chance it could turn out to be a mistake. "No. I'm staying."

Mina slowly shook her head, then. "You're making a mistake..." Yet, she smiled. "I suppose it's just as well... I need the company. Why don't you lie down while you wait for Beryl to make her next move?"

Nodding, Lita suddenly realised how tired she was. It was as if... something about this gloomy place was sucking the energy from her. "Maybe you're right, Mina." she agreed sleepily, sitting down on the scattered pine-needles that were in abundance throughout the clearing. She yawned, and resigned herself to an uneventful wait - and yet, she was truly so incredibly tired... and come to think of it, Mina wasn't the type of person to get upset this easily, even considering the present circumstances...

----

Nephrite had meanwhile wandered off to investigate the mansion in the hope that it might restore at least part of his memory, and confident that Lita could handle Mina. _Odd that I should forget so much..._ He still felt that he'd known Lita from some previous part of his life - but all else drew a complete and utter blank. Why then, did he feel so strongly toward her?

As he approached the door, it swung open before him, propelled with an unseen force. He jumped back, a little startled. The event itself was not what surprised him - it was simply that he was becoming somewhat wary of the things that Lita had deemed unusual'. The previous night, she had talked to him about what was considered normal' in Tokyo, and what was not. This, he realised, fell unmistakably within the not' category. He looked quizzically at the open doorway for the briefest of moments, then decided eventually against entering. There was something about the place that mildly disgusted him - not so much the depressing atmosphere the place conveyed, but rather the sense that something horrible awaited him within. Something from his past. _I suppose _some_ memories are best left buried,_ he thought, with a slight shudder.

The building, for all its grandeur, held nothing more for him. Maybe he wouldn't abandon the car, though... he smiled at the thought. How typical of him, always opting for style over practicality. And just for a fleeting second, he thought he recalled a glimmer of his past. But, as usual, it vanished as quickly as it came. With a sigh, he turned back the way he'd come, and made his way back towards Lita.

The first thing he noticed as he made his way back was the sight of Mina bending over her sleeping companion and - surely unlikely - lifting her up in her arms. He found himself staring at the scene, and somehow wasn't surprised when the blonde looked directly up at him.

"So, Nephrite." she stated flatly. "What is it to be? As you've already noticed, I have your friend here at my mercy. It's up to you - join me, or die?" She smiled, an evil grin that looked amazingly out of place on her fair face. "Oh yes - I was never really out of action... I can act convincingly when I have to."

It took a while for the news to sink in. "Beryl..." he noted, the name tasting bitter and harsh on his lips. "Who exactly are you? Why should I join sides in a battle I know nothing about?"

"Come, now." Mocking reproach hovered about her words, tainting and cruel. "I wouldn't have thought that you could ever forget _me_ - not after all that you've done for me."

"Done for you?" Nephrite echoed, vaguely confused. _This Beryl...' _He was at a dilemma whether or not to trust her. His instincts seemed to warn him, to urge him to stay away from her - especially now that she had Lita. And still, if he had helped her with something in his past... surely he could trust her? So why was he disgusted by her every word - and why did he feel so furious towards her all of a sudden? "Damn my past!"

Mina - Beryl - curled her lip further upwards in a tight smirk. "How truly said. Perhaps you do remember something, after all." Her voice suddenly lowered to a soft whisper. It teased him, taunted at his weakness. "There is no hope for you, Nephrite - not while you aim so low. Have you noticed how little you fit in this pathetic little city? You are not one of those hopeless children who are a mockery of life." She paused, gesturing to Lita. "You see her? Notice how easily I was able to overcome her. She and others like her believe they have the power to rule the world, but you - _you_, my dear Nephrite - are more than she can ever be."

He made as if to interrupt, but at the last moment thought better of it. He shut his mouth with a frown, and shook his head instead. _How can I believe what this girl is saying? I feel as if Lita is the only person I can trust... perhaps even more than I can trust myself._ But he listened in silence, for the wrong choice could mean everything, especially when he had so little to lose.

"You can be more." Beryl continued, staring at him so intensely he thought he might almost suffocate in the cold depths of her eyes. "If you would join me, like you did once before..." The smirk vanished, to be replaced with an anguished, pleading gaze. "Do you remember? The glory, the wonder? You almost had the world - several worlds - in the palm of your hand, Nephrite. Yours to share with a few others as gifted as yourself." She blinked, a tear forming at the corner of one eye. He found himself moved beyond words, as this beautiful, blonde-haired girl broke down before him - and yet, part of him persisted in feeling repelled by her very presence.

"All you have to do... is join me." she sobbed, seemingly barely able to hold Lita's limp form any longer. "I..." and at this, she appeared to be choking on her words, "I beg of you, help me. Help me like you did before - before you lost your memory. We were so close to succeeding... you have to trust me! I am weak, but with your help we can be strong together. I need you! And you need me even more. How would you like to live your life as if locked up in a cage, surrounded by people who are mere imitations of life? Knowing that you have the potential to be so much more?"

She seemed so sad, but Nephrite couldn't help but notice that some of the words seemed a little strained. Almost as if she were having to force herself to beg his help... as if she were not quite telling him the truth. In addition, the part of him that trusted Lita seemed to be overly wary of this girl. He slowly shook his head once again. "I'm sorry... but I don't think I can just abandon Lita this quickly. It is... rather difficult to explain, but I don't think I could ever help you - at least - not while you seem so set on harming her."

"What?" Beryl, shocked out of crying, seemed for a fleeting moment enraged. It lasted only a second, however, then she lapsed back into tears. "You see what you've forced me to do?" she cried out, "Must I kill her to prove my point? She is worthless!"

"No! Please - don't hurt her!"

"Well..." A sly little smile graced her lips. "If you come with me... I might consider letting her go..."

He sighed. It felt wrong - but it seemed that he had little choice. "Fine. I'll come."

"Of your own free will?"

"Of my own free will." he repeated, beginning to wonder whether he had made the wrong choice, after all...

"Good." Beryl smiled, all traces of sorrow instantly vanishing. Nephrite had a sudden feeling of uneasiness. "Now, let me show you something..."

----

Darien found himself in the centre of a vast, desolate landscape. _What - where am I?_ he thought, looking in all directions in utter perplexity. _Am I dreaming?_ The place certainly seemed like a dream - all he could see was brown earth for miles in every direction. It seemed to be set in a state of permanent twilight also, everything was perfectly still and silent. He took a few steps forward, somehow expecting a change, but nothing occurred. The only sounds he could hear were those of his own footsteps and breathing. "What a lonely place this is!" he declared aloud, feeling the need to somehow lessen the utter silence, but his words were swallowed, stifled by the very bleakness of the landscape. _Is this torture?_ he wondered, taking a seat on the soft soil. _Have I done something that shall be punished for centuries, or shall I wake from this empty place as if from a dream?_

Nonetheless, as he pondered this over, he made out a shape in the distance - the form of a sleeping person. The sight comforted him somewhat - knowing that he wasn't quite as alone as he'd assumed. He stared in its direction for a moment, then stood once more. As curiosity got the better of him, he determinedly began to cross the barren earth.

----

Ami's face was obscured by the mountainous piles of books stacked upon each other at her desk in the library. _Hmm... and to think, I'm only five chapters ahead of my class? I've been spending too much time in shopping malls these holidays, I think!_ She closed the book she had been reading with a sigh, and reached for another. Hardly had her fingertips brushed the cover, however, than a sharp beeping rang out from her carry-bag under the desk.

Heads turned towards the source of the sound, and Ami found herself blushing furiously as she became the subject of many angry stares from various other people in the library. "Excuse me." she apologised hurriedly, as she fished around in the bag for the source of the noise. It came from her small computer, and flipping it open, she stopped the alert with the touch of a few keys. What she saw on the screen drew a surprised gasp from her lips, which resulted in yet more heads turning in her direction.

Burning with embarrassment, she replaced the computer and stood to leave. _I have more important matters than studying right this moment, I think!_

----

From a conveniently-placed alleyway, the sailor-suited soldiers publicly known as Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars emerged.

"Right." Sailor Moon determinedly placed her hand on a hip and strode forward confidently into the quiet street. "Okay, you Nega-creeps! I demand you come out and show yourself!" She waited...

And waited...

"Fine. You be cowards, then." she declared, feeling rather foolish, to the air. "See if I care."

Sailor Mars sighed. "I never said there were youma involved, Meatball Head! All I know is that I can feel an evil presence about this area."

Dropping her pose, the other girl pouted. "Well, that could be anything! For all we know, it might be only someone who's in a very nasty mood right now... or something, anyway. We could have transformed all for nothing!"

"No... there is something. And it's more than a trivial matter, that's for sure." She turned, scanning the street carefully. The feeling of evil was flooding through her senses, setting her defences on alert. "I just can't seem to pinpoint where or what it is."

Sailor Moon looked around once again, considering if perhaps she'd missed something vital. She still thought it seemed to be a wild-goose chase, in a way. Yet if Rei's psychic senses had picked something up, who knew? It was at times like this that she wished she could be at home playing the latest Sailor-V video game. She waited only half-expectantly, but nothing appeared, or even moved. In fact, as Mars began to tap her foot impatiently, it began to dawn on her that perhaps the street was a little too quiet. A sign of warning? Or was it already too late? That, combined with the ominous weather, seemed quite unnerving, to say the least. She turned to her companion.

"Mars?"

"Hmm?"

"This place... it's just a _little_ bit too quiet, don't you think?"

About to reply, Mars opened her mouth... but found herself biting back her words, as out of the corner of her eye, she saw the tiniest flicker of movement and turned instead to perceive a shimmering, rippling effect in the air that was so tense with the anticipation of rain. She had seen this before, on numerous occasions, and knew exactly what it meant. "Sailor Moon, watch out!"

Both girls leapt back, barely just before two figures shimmered into existence. Or rather, three figures - one in the arms of a familiar-looking blonde girl.

"Lita!" Sailor Moon cried out upon seeing the brunette's sleeping form, surprise showing on her face as she took a few steps toward the three, but was forced to stop when she felt Mars' restraining grip on her wrist. _What has happened to her?_ Anxiously, she watched as Mina slowly placed Lita's body on the hard bitumen of the street. She would have rushed to her side at once, but for the raven-haired scout's strong hold on her arm.

"Don't you see?" Mars hissed in a hasty whisper from behind her, "Nephrite's taken them hostage! Don't be so careless!"

Her eyes narrowed, realising the logic of it. _Oh Mina, Lita... If only you hadn't been so trusting._ But now it was too late to simply wish the pain away. If only. She knew she didn't yet know the whole truth, but she didn't have the time to even attempt figuring it out. It seemed that her only choice was to act, and do so as fast as possible. Her friends were undeniably in need of help, and she was going to make _damn_ sure they got it!

Feeling the grasp on her hand loosen as Mars shifted her concentration, she quickly wrenched her hand free. Taking her

traditional stance, she cried out in determination. "I am Sailor Moon! I fight for love, and for justice also! Nephrite, release my friends or I shall punish you in the name of the Moon!"

"And I am Sailor Mars! Take away the spell you put on Mina!"

Thankful as always for her friend's backup, Serena felt more confident. She glared at Nephrite angrily, willing him to give in. Yet to her surprise - and partial relief - she didn't get the reaction she'd been expecting. Instead, her opponent blinked. Twice. "Do... I know you?"

Sailor Moon's pose, though confident in appearance, faltered at this comment. Could it be that he _really_ couldn't remember a thing? There was hardly a soul throughout the whole of Japan who had not heard of the Sailor Scouts, but apparently Nephrite did not recognise her. "I..." She trailed off, suddenly conscious of not knowing what to say.

Matters were then made even more confusing, as Mina stepped forward, an amused smile gracing her face. Her actions at that point in time seemed so precise and graceful that even Sailor Moon was notably surprised. "Mina? You're not really on his side, are you?"

Lowering her head slightly, the blonde spoke quietly through strands of hair. Disgust could be heard in the soft undertones of her voice, rippling anger that threatened to overspill at any second. "I am not on _Nephrite's_ side, Sailor Moon. He is on mine."

----

The distance was further than he'd thought. A good ten minutes or so had passed, and he'd had nothing to do but listen to the soft footfalls of his feet against the earth. _Or so it seems,_ he thought absently as he at last began to approach the sleeping form. Who knew how time might pass in this dismal place? But then he was there, and his mind immediately turned to other things at hand.

The figure was lying on her side (for it was female, that much he could see), with her back to him. The first thing he noticed was the cloud of long, golden hair that fell around her like a silken shroud.

"Not Serena...?" he gasped, hoping it was not so. _She doesn't deserve to be trapped in a place like this... nobody does._

However, it wasn't Serena at all, but Mina. With a sharp intake of breath, Darien fell to his knees at her side, searching her face for signs of life. She was as still as the surface of a calm ocean, her only movement being the slightest of breaths every few seconds. Her otherwise flawless skin was tinged with the paleness of death - not quite there, but much too close for comfort.

Darien had no need to examine her further to know that she was hanging in the balance between life and death. Perhaps then this place was a sanctuary for the hopeless. A metaphorical waiting-room in which to attempt to fight the call of death. Whatever had happened to Mina to bring her to this forgotten universe was evidently holding her purposefully in this limbo of sorts. So why was she unconscious? Was her soul so buried underneath charms and enchantments as to never awake again? Why was he even here at all - had he too unknowingly fallen under some misfortune? He did not fully understand, if at all.

"Oh, Mina." He whispered her name sorrowfully, brushing back a lock of hair that had fallen across her face. "You have to wake up. So many people need you. Think of your friends, think of your family." He sighed. It would probably be all in futility - but he knew he had to try. "Mina, you must try to resist whatever has placed you here. Do you hear me? Promise me you'll try, for the sake of us all. For Serena, especially for Serena."

He thought, then, that her eyelids trembled slightly, and smiled with a careful hope. Maybe he was getting through, after all.

----

Mina' gestured, and Nephrite instantly vanished with Lita, gone from sight. "You see," Beryl continued, "Your precious friend Mina is no more. Thanks to the combined forces of her powers as Sailor Venus and the buildup of negative energy she recently attained, I was able to gradually overcome her, and so here I am. You know me, I believe, as Her Royal Highness Queen Beryl."

"Her royal highness, my arse." Mars muttered scornfully, though her eyes were wide with shock and fury. "We killed you!"

Sailor Moon nodded vehemently. "How can you still be alive? It's just not possible! The Silver Crystal couldn't have been defective, surely!"

----

"Ah, the Silver Imperium Crystal." Beryl lifted her head defiantly and held out a delicate hand, deliberately ignoring the questions. "That is mine, I believe. Give it to me now, and I may consider making your deaths a little less painful than I had planned."

The brightly-clad Sailor Scout's hand moved involuntarily to the shining tiara that rested upon her forehead. An air of denial hovered around her like a shield. "I'm not handing anything over!"

"_Especially_ not until we make sure Lita's in safe hands." Mars added, shifting her position slightly. "Don't think we're fools. You made that mistake last time you fought us."

"And if _that_ klutz hadn't used the Crystal, you'd still be dead, Sailor Mars." Beryl retorted impatiently. "What a sorry bunch of warriors' you were. It took five of you to even attempt to challenge me. This time, however, I'll make sure I get what is rightfully mine. As for your pathetically trusting friend, she's staying here with me. She can watch you all die, one by one." She smiled. "So I repeat, give me the crystal."

"Never!" With a cry filled with anger, Mars instantly leapt forward and began her attack. "Mars Fire Ignite!"

It was a crimson star, a blazing inferno that erupted on cue from the scout's pointing fingers. Unexpected and sudden, time seemed to slow in that crucial instant. The street was no longer the place where couples could wander along hand in hand, or where busy business-people could hurry to and from work. It was now only the ground they stood upon and the air they breathed. To those present, all that mattered now was survival. The battle had just begun, and Mars had used it to her advantage. Indeed, as she reflected upon releasing her fiery blast, Beryl had been remarkably stupid. Why talk and gloat, when you could be using the precious time to strike your enemy? Strange, certainly.

Sailor Moon's eyes watered a little at her closeness to the intense heat, but she felt horror at what her friend was doing. "No, stop! You might hurt Mina!" But it was too late, and she could do nothing but watch the streak of flame impact upon the form of the person who had once been her close friend, for Sailor Mars was as fast and accurate as the fire that was the basis of her attacks. "No..."

Beside her, Mars crowed triumphantly as Beryl staggered back from the blast, scorched and all pretenses of negotiation gone. "Not so sorry _now_, are we?"

But the battle had only just begun. Mars had had her moment of triumph; now, she suddenly found herself in the direct line of attack as a fierce stream of dark energy came heading towards her from Beryl's uplifted hands. "What? Hey!" She dove aside barely before the black wave of power passed by where she had been standing.

"Moon Tiara..." Sailor Moon, having by now abandoned the notion that it was Mina they were opposing, was in the full swing of her attack. Only then seeing the ferocity of Beryl's blast, she had no time to dodge. Searing pain swept through her left side where the energy her grazed her body, and she faltered. It hurt, but she found herself forcing back the pain in determination. She'd certainly braved worse - much worse - in previous encounters, and knew she had the strength to

fight on. In fact, she remembered Beryl's power being greater than this. Could it be... was she weak, or just holding back?

_This is no time for musings, Serena!_ she chided herself, thinking of what Luna would say to her carelessness. Focusing her attention, she hurriedly turned once more to the important task of renewing her attack. This time she was careful to stay alert.

"Moon Tiara Magic!"

"Mars Fire Ignite!"

From the tips of Mars' outstretched fingers burst a flaming spiral, heading at a furious speed towards the spinning tiara thrown by Sailor Moon. The two attacks coalesced in mid-flight, taking on the appearance of a glowing, red crescent moon. For a moment, it looked as if the fire-coated tiara might miss Beryl, who had leaped deftly out of the way, but at the very last instant the tiara swerved almost of its own accord. Beryl's eyes widened, as she turned her head to see it approaching too close for comfort.

And she was gone.

A few particles of dust curled slowly downwards, borne to earth. All was still.

The first noise to break the silence was the click' of a red heel on the bitumin. Mars looked apprehensively at the pile of dust before her. "Does this mean it's over?"

Barely noticing her aching side, Sailor Moon was on her toes with delight. "She's moondusted! Again!" The next moment, the two girls were caught up in congratulating each other heartily - which seemed a little unusual, but appropriate nonetheless.

By the time they noticed the two immense beams of dark energy that hurtled towards them, it was a tad too late to do anything about it.

----

Though her first reaction had been that of triumph, she had been upset when Beryl had appeared to disintegrate. With her enemy's death, all chances of somehow rescuing Mina would be abandoned, it would be impossible. She would have cried later, if she had been given the chance. How could she go through life without the smiling, cheerful face of her golden-haired friend? Mina could always find the postive aspects of any situation. She had a knack for making others feel better, and her cheery manner was both heart-warming and admired.

Now, as she glared stonily into Beryl's sky-blue eyes, she hated her enemy even more.

The blast of energy had forced her to revert back to her schoolgirl state, stripping her of any advantage she may have had. The silver crystal had been stolen from her. The whole of her right side was throbbing unmercifully, and her left had long since passed into a stage of partly-numb agony. Right at this moment, she just wanted to cry. How ironic then, that the tears which were burning away at her insides chose not to rise to the surface.

Perhaps it was because she felt guilty. Guilty that she, the sailor-suited soldier who fought for love and justice, could not carry on any longer. Guilty that she had not been able to save her friend. Guilty that she had underestimated their most powerful rival. Or was it simply the guilt she felt because she felt mostly concerned for herself at this moment? Still, she found herself wishing heartily that she could be at home right then, safe and secure. _How could it have ended this way?_ she thought in despair, blinking her eyes angrily even though they remained dry. _If only I hadn't been so dense as to fall for Beryl's illusion!_

Beside her, Rei sensed her friend's anguish. She turned her head to look her in the eye, somehow managing a wavering smile. "Don't despair. It's not over yet, Sailor Moon."

"How?" It came out as a croak, barely audible. She felt the bile rise in her throat with the word, and clamped her mouth shut.

"Ami." Rei whispered, her lips quavering more than ever, evidently biting back tears that for her were more than willing to show themselves. "She'll come... I know she'll come."

Beryl chose that moment to wander casually up to the two fallen girls. The silver crystal hung on a glittering chain about her neck. It shone with a radiant light even in the twilight of the sun-deprived city - impressive, yet seeming somehow out of place. Serena's eyes finally began to water, silent tears that reflected the silver of the crystal. Surely, all was lost.

"Ah, how the mighty have fallen!" Beryl sighed, fingering the crystal lightly, her nails tapping against its hard surface. "I haven't finished with you, though. Once I establish my reign over the Earth, you shall know what pain truly is!"

An expression of utter disgust crossed Rei's face. "Go to hell!" For an instant it seemed as if the force of her determination alone would be enough to let her stand; she pulled herself awkwardly to her knees - only to be pitched backwards by a hard kick to the stomach. The sound of skin being torn was sickening and horrific, but somehow, Rei refused to cry.

Serena's own stomach felt unstable as she saw a red stain colour the material of Rei's shirt as the blood seeped through. "No!"

Then she was vomiting, her weak form convulsing as her stomach emptied its contents. This was the ultimate humiliation, the mark of complete helplessness. Beryl knew this, making no move while Serena Tsukino, Sailor Moon, _Princess Serenity_ lay in an ever-expanding pool of her own bile.

This could well be her darkest hour.

----

She couldn't be sure exactly when it had started. Afterwards, it had seemed so distant and confusing that her memories were a little warped and greatly uncertain. It had begun as if she was drifting in and out of consciousness at first, and then it seemed that she was simply held within the thralls of deep slumber. Still, she knew she was not always alone.

She couldn't be sure of where she was, or who her unknown companion was, or even who she was. At times she felt as if she were about to recollect a fragment of memory, but whether it was from this era or the past one, she could not be certain either. And there was the odd moment when she felt as if she was being split into two different directions entirely, struggling to retain her identity and purpose, though she couldn't remember what exactly it was.

But then there were also times when she recalled events with a surprising clarity. This was one of them.

She was Mina, and she was in trouble.

----

Rei closed her eyes. She closed them in the hope that everything would vanish the moment she did. She closed them to keep out the tears, that she might at least have that small conquest. _Tears are the beginning of ruin. Once you start... stopping is impossible._ She winced, her fingers tentatively brushing the surface of her deepest, most recent wound, and gritted her teeth through the strain. _You are a coward, Rei Hino!_ she told herself. _Hiding away like this and hoping a miracle will save you! What use could you be if you do nothing? A coward!_

So she forced her eyes to open once more. Things looked even worse than before...

"Serena..." she hissed. Beryl's eyes flicked down to her, but from her fallen, sorry-looking friend came no response. Rei wondered if she was even conscious any longer, and moaned in defeat. But no, Serena's head slowly turned in her direction, a vague hint of recognition on her face. Abruptly, Rei was struck by the distant expression in the blonde's eyes - a dulled, almost-empty affliction that cast an invisible shadow over her entire presence. Serena appeared to have

given up.

Well, she wasn't going to if Rei had anything to do with it! _I owe her this much, and more._ "Serena," she repeated, more confidently. "Use the Silver Crystal." With the hand closest to her peer, she reached out to clasp the girl's shaking hand. "Now, do it."

Beryl had unsurprisingly overheard, and a trickle of laughter escaped her lips. "That's highly unlikely. I hold the crystal as of now. It belongs to me. The closest _you'll_ ever get to it from now on is in your nightmares."

To Rei's surprise, Serena shook her head the fraction of an inch. "No." she whimpered, raising the tremoring hand that Rei still clasped firmly. "The crystal will never be yours."

There was no further action needed, nor was there any warning whatsoever when rays of blinding light burst forth from the Silver Crystal. Rei felt a slight throbbing from the hand that was holding Serena's and looked at the other in wonder. The girl amazingly looked wide awake once more and was glaring at her rival with a fierce kind of determination she had seen only once before. Her fingers were spread wide but her hand was steady. Though it was hardly a good occasion, Rei felt she had to smile.

"_Never._" Rei echoed her friends' previous words through her teeth. _You can do it, girl!_

----

Darien took in a breath, as the girl's eyes fluttered open. "You're awake!"

Mina looked at him, an odd expression on her face. "You... I know you, don't I? Your name... Darien, isn't it?" It was hard, so hard to remember anything at all. It was as if she wasn't entirely here - as if part of her was disappearing into some kind of void or limbo. However, looking around caused her to think again. Could she already be there? She didn't recognise the desolate landscape upon which she lay, but it didn't seem as if it could get much more miserable. Was this death, then? It was hard to tell. Hell, _everything_ was hard to tell. She couldn't be sure of what she knew or why she knew it. Even her few definite memories seemed to conflict with each other. Wasn't this young man before her a dedicated university student? Or some kind of emperor who lived in a shining palace below skies of the brightest blue she'd ever seen?

And who was she? This bothered her most of all. Mina, the ditzy romance-lover seemed hazy and far away. She knew it was her, but along with those recollections came a flurry of different ideas and perceptions. Wasn't she Sailor Venus, who fought for love and justice - the leader of the scouts? Or was she the famous, idolised Sailor V - hero of computer games and movies? Or even... the princess of a distant world, whose doom was to be slaughtered at the hand of a lover? Everything was just so difficult to follow - if things could just become a little clearer it would be all right. It seemed obvious that it wouldn't be the case, though. She decided the best course of action would be to wait and see what came next.

Sure enough, her un-identified companion nodded, smiling a little. "Darien it is. I was hoping you'd wake. I don't know what I'm doing here, and I suspect you don't either. I guess we're stuck in this together."

It was almost a relief to hear his reply. At least one thing was clear, now. "No... no, I don't know why I'm here. I really can't remember much at all. If you don't understand, it's not exactly likely that _I_ will!"

He nodded, again. "No, of course not. But... Mina, I just ask you one thing? What is the last thing you can recall? Please, just try. For your own sake, try!"

She didn't even need to try to tell that it was a hopeless task. But she still did, even if was only to please this man. Sure, she recalled fragments of information here and there, but it was all confused and mixed up. The whens' and wheres' were utterly lost to her. Her last memory? It could have been anything, and she found herself admitting this. "I'm sorry - I don't know the last from the first. Does it really matter?"

Her companion's head seemed to fall a little lower at her answer, but she had expected that reaction. Strands of dark, ebony hair fell over his forehead as he sighed, and unconsciously he lifted a hand to brush them aside. "I know you don't understand, but yes. It does matter. You - my friends and I are worried about you. Something... happened... and we know you're in trouble. One thing is for sure - you shouldn't be here, wherever here is."

Mina pulled herself to her knees, trembling as she did so. Why did she suddenly feel afraid? As far as she could see, there was nothing dangerous in sight - only endless brown earth and a starless sky. Yet she had the most peculiar notion that her situation had somehow improved from a few moments ago - perhaps that was why she had woken in the first place. Even as she thought of it, the twilight seemed to become a shade lighter.

Inspired by the hopefulness she felt at this sign, she turned to Darien and smiled. "Thank you - thanks for being here. I know at least now I'm not alone." She settled herself into a comfortable position on the soil and sighed. "I guess all we can do now is wait."


End file.
